DEM asks for dispatch academies and pilots for embedded crisis counselors and alternative street response

The Department of Emergency Management told the Budget & Appropriations Committee on June 16 that the city must scale 9‑1‑1 staffing and modernize data and dispatch systems to keep pace with growing demands and new street‑response models.

DEM said it will run three dispatcher academies per fiscal year to address an ongoing vacancy problem in the 9‑1‑1 call center; the department reported 19 total vacancies with 14 in dispatch operations and said it is experiencing current short‑term stress from COVID‑related absences. DEM asked for dedicated recruiting capacity, a data manager to analyze public‑safety data, and a specialist to support implementation of stroke and heart‑attack specialty‑care regulations for hospitals.

DEM also described an operational pilot for embedded crisis counselors: clinicians would be trained and hosted in the 9‑1‑1 center to handle first‑ and second‑party behavioral‑health calls and to create a pathway for callers to reach street wellness response teams without dialing 9‑1‑1 (for example via 311 routing). Rob Smuts, DEM’s 9‑1‑1 director, said the embedded counselors could “transfer the call to them directly and avoid a dispatch for some calls,” reducing unnecessary ambulance or police responses.

The mayor also proposed $3 million in one‑time funds in DEM’s budget to support community‑based alternative response pilots (aligned with the CART model). DEM staff said the money will be used to craft and issue an RFP and to fund providers to respond to a defined caseload of street crisis and condition calls.

Committee action: The committee recommended the EMS/DEM fee and regulatory item (stroke center fee) to the full Board and approved other DEM items for follow‑up; the board asked departments to return with integration plans and implementation timelines.

Sources: DEM presentation and Q&A, June 16, 2022; Rob Smuts (DEM 9‑1‑1 director).